Accessory Use and/or Structure.A use or structure that is subordinate in size or purpose to the principal use or structure of the same lot or parcel of ground and serving a purpose customarily incidental to the use of the principal structure or use of land. An accessory structure may be attached or detached.
Accessory Structure, Detached.A structure that has no wall in common with the principal building or is not under an extension of the main roof of the principal building. Examples of detached accessory structure include, but are not limited to, garages, farm structures, home workshops and tool houses, barns, carports, playhouses, sheds, private greenhouses, enclosed gazebos, storage buildings, boathouses and docks, wind-generating devices, and swimming pool pumphouses. Buildings connected by roofed breezeways are separate buildings.
Administrator.Shall be the City Administrator or his/her designee responsible for administering the provisions of this Ordinance.
Annexation.Is the process whereby the city expands its boundaries by adding a specific geographic area.
Architecturally Finished.A finish characterized by a uniform appearance pertaining to materials, features, characteristics, or details most often specified for exposed surfaces used to build or ornament a structure.
Articulation.Off-sets, projections, recessed walls, windows, doors, and similar features that provide variation to a building facade and its roofline.
Automobiles.Any vehicle propelled by mechanical power for general passenger use on the road, such as cars, vans, or passenger trucks. For purposes of this Ordinance, this definition shall not include freight trucks (18 wheelers), campers, RVs, and recreational trailers, equipment such as construction equipment, forklifts, farm implements, and neighborhood electric vehicles or golf carts.
Awning.A roof-like cover, often of fabric, metal, or glass, designed and intended for protection from the weather or as a decorative embellishment, and that projects from a wall or roof of a structure over a window, walk, or door.
Banding.Narrow inlay of a color or grain which contrasts with the surface it decorates. Also refers to other long narrow ornamentation, such as painting or carving.
Bedroom.A habitable room that is used primarily for sleeping in any dwelling unit.
Berm.A mound of soil, either natural or manmade, used to screen and visually separate, in part or entirely, one area, site, or property from the view of another area.
Block.A tract of land bounded by streets or by a combination of streets and public parks, cemeteries, railroad right-of-way, airport boundaries, or corporate boundary lines of the city.
Block Face.Is one side of a street, from one intersection to the next.
Block Perimeter.Is the sum total of all block face dimensions circumscribed by public or private streets or pedestrian facilities with public access easements.
Build.To erect, construct, convert, enlarge, reconstruct, restore, or alter a building, structure, or infrastructure.
Breezeway.Is a roofed, often open, passage connecting two buildings (such as a house and garage) or halves of a building. A roofed breezeway is not an extension of any building that it connects, and does not combine two or more buildings into a single building.”
Building.Any structure which is built for the support, shelter, or enclosure or partial enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property of any kind.
Building, Detached.A building surrounded by yards or open space on its own building lot, or buildings in a building group that are physically detached one from the other.
Build-to Line.A line established, in general, parallel to the front property line, to which the front facade of the building shall be built to.
Build-to Zone.Is an area between the minimum and maximum front setbacks within which the front facade of the building shall be located.
Building Frontage Build-out.Is the percentage of a building’s front facade that is required to be located within the Build-to Zone (BTZ) as a proportion of the lot’s width along the fronting public street. Required driveways, stairs to access entrances, parks, plazas, squares, improved forecourts, and pedestrian breezeway frontages shall count towards the required building frontage.
Image showing Building Frontage Build-out calculation |
Building Official.The officer or other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of City Ordinances related to construction, building, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work.
Caliper.For newly installed trees and landscaping, the caliper is the diameter of the trunk measured six inches above ground level. For existing trees, the caliper is the diameter of the trunk, measured at breast height, which is typically four and one-half feet above the ground.
Canopy.A roof-like cover or structure, including an awning or marquee, which projects from the wall of a building over a door, entrance, window, or sidewalk cafe area.
Certificate of Occupancy.A certificate issued by the Building Official prior to using or occupying a nonresidential or multifamily structure or building.
Change in Use.Changing permitted uses between land use categories in the use tables in Article
3, Use Standards.
Comprehensive Plan.The plan adopted by the City Council as the official policy to guide development of the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. The Comprehensive Plan includes any applicable sub-area, neighborhood, sector, or district plans; and other supporting elements, studies, and documents as may be adopted by the City Council.
Co-location.A single telecommunications tower and/or site used by more than one telecommunications service provider.
Column.An architectural support of definite proportions, usually cylindrical in shape, with shaft, capital, and sometimes a base. A column may be free-standing or attached to a wall.
Commercial Ready.Means a ground floor space constructed to meet commercial occupancy standards with respect to entrance and window treatment and floor-to-floor height in order to accommodate ground floor commercial uses (including but not limited to office, retail, restaurant, entertainment, and lobbies for lodging uses).
Conical Surface.A surface extending outward and upward from the periphery of the horizontal surface at a slope of 20-to-one for a horizontal distance of 4,000 feet.
Cornice.The uppermost horizontal molded projection or other uppermost horizontal element located at the top of a building or portion of a building.
Courtyard.A landscaped open space in the center of a block with no street frontage, and that is inwardly oriented and large enough to allow for pubic activities and sunlight during midday.
Development or to Develop.“Development” shall mean:
1. The construction of one or more new buildings or structures on one or more building lots;
2. The existence of a building on a building lot;
3. The use of open land for a new use;
4. Any manmade change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, or storage of equipment or materials; or,
5. “To develop” shall mean to create a development.
Display.The exhibition of goods, wares, or merchandise for retail sale, rental, or lease.
Dwelling Unit.Shall be a self-contained unit of accommodation of one or more rooms including kitchen designed as a residence for occupancy by one household for the purpose of cooking, living and sleeping. This definition shall include single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, and multiple family dwellings, but not include hotels or motels.
Dwellings, Attached.A dwelling which is joined to another dwelling at one or more sides by a partial wall or walls.
Encroachment.Means any structural or nonstructural element such as a sign, awning, canopy, terrace, or balcony that extends into a setback, into the public right-of-way, or above a height limit.
Entryway.The doorway into a building along with the architectural treatments that accompany it.
Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS).A multi-layered exterior wall system typically consisting of insulation board that is secured to the exterior wall surface with a specially formulated adhesive and/or mechanical attachment; a durable, water-resistant base coat, which is applied on top of the insulation and reinforced with fiber glass mesh for added strength; and a durable finish coat which is both colorfast and crack-resistant.
Facade.Any exterior wall or face of a building that encloses or covers usable space. Multiple buildings on the same lot will each be deemed to have separate facades. A roof shall not be included in the definition of a facade.
Family.Individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit in which not more than four individuals are unrelated to the head of the household by blood, marriage, or adoption. The term expressly excludes residents of an assisted living facility, boarding house, fraternity or sorority house, private dorm, halfway house, or nursing home, as defined by this Ordinance.
Fence or Wall.A barrier composed of posts connected by boards, rails, panels, or wire for the purpose of physically enclosing an area or separating parcels of land. The term “fence” does include retaining walls if such walls provide enclosure and/or separation of parcels.
Fenestration.Window treatment in a building or building facade. Also, a general term used to denote the pattern or arrangement of openings, i.e., windows and doors, in a facade.
Forecourt.An open, unoccupied space, typically located in the front of a lot, bounded on more than one side by the walls of a building or buildings and used as a primary means of access to all or any part of said buildings.
Freeway or Highway.Shall be any regional or interstate high speed roadway with controlled access.
Freeway or Highway Frontage Road.Frontage road (also known as an access road, service road, parallel road, etc.) is a local road running parallel to a freeway or a highway. A frontage road is often used to provide access to adjoining properties and development.
Grade.The average of the finished ground surface elevations measured at the highest and lowest exterior corners of a structure.
Gross Floor Area (GFA).When applied to a building, the area in square feet measured by taking outside dimensions of the building at each floor, excluding however, the floor area of basements or attics when not occupied or used.
Ground Cover.Plants and turfs that normally reach a height of less than two feet upon maturity, installed in such a manner so as to form a continuous cover over the ground.
Height, Building.Shall be the vertical distance measured from the average finished grade next to the building to (a) to the highest point of the roof surface or parapet, if a flat roof; (b) to the deck line of a mansard roof; or to the mean height level between eaves and ridge for a gable, hip or gambrel roof.
Horizontal Surface.A horizontal plane 150 feet above the established airport elevation, the perimeter of which in plan coincides with the perimeter of the horizontal zone.
Human Scale.The proportional relationship of a particular building structure and its facade elements such as doors and windows to the human form and function. Human scale relates the size and/or height of a structure to the height and mass of a pedestrian traveling along the sidewalk or street adjacent to that structure or element.
Institutional.Nonprofit organizations such as public schools, religious institutions, and government facilities.
Irrigation System.A method of providing the proper amount of water for the particular type of plant material used.
iSWM Standards.Integrated Stormwater Management program by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).
Joint or Cross Access Easements.Shall be the coordination of shared easements and driveway access between adjoining properties with the goal of allowing users to travel across each other’s lot to reach adjoining properties or street(s).
Landscape Architect.A person licensed to practice landscape architecture pursuant to the laws of the State of Texas.
Landscape Area.An area which is covered by grass, ground cover, or other natural plant materials, including screening.
Landscape Setback.An area where landscaping is setback from any travel lane, parking space, or maneuvering areas.
Landscaping.Living plant material, including but not limited to grass, trees, shrubs, berms, water forms, and planters.
Live-Work Dwelling.Means a dwelling unit that is also used for work purposes, provided that the ‘work’ component is restricted to the uses of professional office, artist’s workshop, studio, or other similar uses and is located on the street level and constructed as separate units under a condominium regime or as a single unit. The ‘live’ component may be located on the street level (behind the work component) or any other level of the building. Live-work unit is distinguished from a home occupation otherwise defined by the Ordinance in that the work use is not required to be incidental to the dwelling unit, nonresident employees may be present on the premises and customers may be served on site.
Lot.A platted parcel of land intended to be separately owned or developed, and that is recorded in the property records of Tarrant or Denton County, Texas.
Lot, Adjoining or Adjacent.Any lot, parcel, or piece of land that shares with the lot under consideration a common lot line, alley, or any point of tangency.
Lot Area.That area of a horizontal plane bounded by the front, side, and rear lot lines, including any portion of an easement which may exist within such property lines, and exclusive of approved access easements or rights-of-way for public street, private street, alley, or rail purposes.
Lot, Corner.A lot situated at the intersection of two or more streets.
Lot Coverage.The percentage of the lot area that is covered by a building or structure.
Lot Depth.The average horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
Lot Line, Front.That boundary of a lot that abuts a public street, private street, or approved access easement. On corner lots, the front lot line shall be the shorter line abutting a public street, private street, or approved access easement.
Lot Line, Rear.That boundary of lot that is opposite the front lot line and that is most nearly parallel with the front lot line.
Lot of Record.An area of land designated as a lot on a plat of a subdivision recorded in the Plat Records of Tarrant or Denton County, Texas, pursuant to statute, with the respective County Clerk.
Lot Width.The horizontal distance between side lot lines measured at the required front setback line.
Meandering.Taking a sinuous course with curves in alternate directions.
Major Amendment.Means a requested amendment to an approved plan (Concept, Development, or Site Plan) that is substantially different from the originally approved plan as determined by the Administrator per this Ordinance.
Minor Amendments.Means a requested amendment to an approved plan (Concept, Development, or Site Plan) that are nominal with no substantive changes to the development intensity or character.
Mixed-Use Development or Building.The development of a tract of land, building, or structure in a compact urban form with a residential use and a nonresidential use as permitted by the applicable zoning district from the land use categories listed in Article
IV, Use Standards. The layout of a mixed-use development may be vertical or horizontal in design.
Nonconforming Lot.A lot that does not conform to the lot area, width, or depth requirements of the zoning district in which it is located, and as further defined in Article
VI, Nonconformities.
Nonconforming Building or Structure or Site.Any existing structure or site improvements that were erected according to all applicable City ordinances at the time, but which does not now comply with all the regulations applicable to the district in which the structure or site is located, and as further defined in Article
VI, Nonconformities.
Nonconforming Use.Generally, the use of an existing property or structure after the effective date of this Ordinance, which does not comply with the use regulations applicable to the district in which the property is located, and as further defined in Article
VI, Nonconformities.
Open Space.Is publicly accessible open land in the form of parks, courtyards, forecourts, plazas, greens, playgrounds, squares, etc. provided to meet the standards in of this Ordinance. Open space may be privately or publicly owned and/or maintained.
Owner, Property.Each and every person or entity who is a record owner of a fee simple interest or an undivided fee simple interest in a parcel of land per the County Tax Records. If such parcel is subject to a condominium or other multi-ownership regime, the owners’ association representing such multi-ownership regime, and not individual unit owners, shall be deemed the owner thereof.
Parapet.That portion of the wall which extends above the roofline.
Parking Lot.Paved surfaces used for the storage of vehicles for limited periods of time, including but not limited to: truck parking; motor vehicle display, loading, or storage areas; and/or boat sales.
Parking Lot Screen.Is a freestanding wall or living fence or combination fence built along the any lot’s street frontage in order to screen a parking lot or a loading/service area from view along the street.
Parkway.The area of right-of-way between the curb and the property line normally publicly owned and consisting of a variable width.
Pedestrian-Oriented Street.As identified on the approved Master Concept Plan, future streets in the MU District shall be designated as “Pedestrian” oriented. Pedestrian-oriented streets prioritize pedestrian safety and walkability and facades along Pedestrian-oriented streets shall be designed to a higher standard that other streets in the MU District.
Person.An individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or body politic, and includes a trustee, receiver, assignee, administrator, executor, guardian, or other representative.
Playground.An outdoor area designed for unorganized recreational play. Playgrounds may consist of open space or informal play areas containing equipment such as swings, jungle gyms, seesaws, merry-go-rounds, backstops, goals, and similar equipment. Areas designed specifically for organized athletic events or containing buildings, bleachers, paved surfaces, field lights, or outdoor speakers, are not included within the definition of playground.
Plaza.A predominantly hard-surfaced space that is a portion of a block with a minimum of one side open to the street and other edges defined by buildings. Building edges should contain continuous retail, restaurant, or public uses at grade to animate and support the open space. Unlike intimate scale urban gardens, a plaza may contain a primary entrance to an adjacent building.
Portico.A roofed entrance porch, often supported by columns or pillars.
Primary Entrance.Means the public entrance located along the front of a building facing a street or sidewalk and provides access from the public sidewalk to the building. It is different from a secondary entrance which may be located at the side or rear of a building providing private controlled access into the building from a sidewalk, parking or service area.
Public Utility or Utilities.The City of Haslet and any corporation or authority franchised by the City of Haslet to provide water, sewer, refuse collection, natural gas, electricity, telecommunication, or similar services on a community-wide basis.
Rear Yard Definition for Residential Accessory Structures.The area between the rear property line to the front façade of the primary structure and behind a side fence, extending the full width of the property. Additionally, the area will not include any area within an easement or prescribed setback described in the Haslet Code.
Recreational Area.An area devoted to facilities and equipment for recreational purposes, swimming pools, sports courts, playgrounds, community clubhouses, and other similar uses.
Relative.A person related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
Right-of-way.A public or private area that allows for the passage of people or goods. Right-of-way includes passageways such as freeways, streets, bike paths, alleys, and walkways. A public right-of-way is a right-of-way that is dedicated or deeded to the public for public use and under control of a public agency.
Right-of-Way Vacation.Shall mean abandonment of a street, alley, or other public way from public use and reversion to private ownership.
Salvage.Any discarded, abandoned, junked, wrecked, dismantled, worn out, or ruined motor vehicles (including automobiles, trucks, tractor trailers, and buses), motor vehicle parts, boats, travel trailers, trailers, cranes, machinery or equipment, machinery or equipment parts, recreational vehicles, and/or any junk.
Service Bay.A part of a building or structure used for providing maintenance, installation, or service to a single vehicle.
Screening or Screening Device.A barrier of stone, brick, pierced brick or block, uniformly colored wood, vegetation, or other permanent material of equal character, density, and design.
Setback.An open space, other than a court, on a lot unoccupied and unobstructed from the ground upward, unless specifically otherwise permitted in this Ordinance.
Setback, Rear.A yard extending across the rear of a lot and being the minimum horizontal distance between the rear lot line and the rear facade of the principal building or any projections thereof other than steps, unenclosed balconies, or unenclosed porches.
Setback, Side (Interior).A yard extending from the side lot line that is not adjacent to a street and being the minimum horizontal distance between any side facade of the primary building or projections thereof and the side lot line.
Setback, Street Side.A yard extending from the side lot line that is adjacent to a street and being the minimum horizontal distance between any side facade of the primary building including any enclosed projections and the side lot line.
Setback, Street Front.A yard extending along the primary street frontage of a lot and being the minimum horizontal distance between the street right-of-way line and main building facade (including any enclosed projections) with the primary building entrance.
Shared Parking.One or more parking facilities shared by multiple users on separate lots.
Sidewalk.A paved walkway along the side of a street.
Sill.The horizontal member forming the bottom of a window or exterior door frame.
Site.The total area of a lot or tract of land, from property line to property line, including any land subject to any easement or license. A site shall be a homogeneous parcel under single ownership or unified control.
Stoop.A small porch, platform, or staircase leading to the entrance of a building.
Story or Floor.That portion of a building, other than a basement, included between the surface of any floor and the surface of the next floor above it, or if there is no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling above the floor of such story. This includes any mezzanine or loft which may comprise only a portion of a full floor plate.
Street.A public way for vehicular traffic.
Streetscape.The area between the building and edge of the vehicular or parking lanes. The principal streetscape components are curbs, sidewalks, street trees, tree planters, bicycle racks, litter containers, benches, and street lights. Treatments may also include a range of provisions such as paving materials; street, pedestrian, and wayfinding signs; parking meters; utility boxes; public art; water features; bollards; informational signage; and other elements.
Structure.An object, including a mobile object, constructed or installed by man, including, but not limited to, buildings, poles, water towers, cranes, smokestacks, earth formations, and overhead transmission lines.
Sub-district.Means an area designation within the MU or OT zoning district that is intended to preserve and/or create a development character that is distinct from other sub-districts.
Telecommunications.The transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of audio and/or visual information of the user’s choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received.
Telecommunications Service.The offering of telecommunications for a fee directly to the public, or to such classes of users as to be effectively available directly to the public, regardless of the facilities used.
Tower, Height.The distance measured from grade to the highest point of any and all components of the structure, including antennae, hazard lighting, and other appurtenances, if any.
Transitional Surfaces.These surfaces extend outward at 90-degree angles to the runway centerline and the runway centerline extended at a slope of seven feet horizontally for each foot vertically from the sides of the primary and approach surfaces to where they intersect the horizontal surface.
Tree, Shade or Canopy.A perennial woody plant, single or multiple trunk, with few if any branches on its lower part, which at maturity will obtain a minimum six inch caliper.
Tree, Ornamental.A perennial woody plant generally of 25 feet or less at maturity that may branch to the ground and has significant seasonal color, texture, or other ornamental characteristics[.]
Tree, Protected.Any existing tree of at least six caliper inches that is indicated to be retained after development of the site.
Use.When applied to land or buildings, the purpose or activity for which such land or building thereon is designed, arranged, or intended, or for which it is occupied or maintained.
Variance.An adjustment in the application of the specific regulations of this Ordinance to a particular piece of property, which, because of special circumstances uniquely applicable to it, is deprived of privileges commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same vicinity and zone, and which adjustment remedies disparity in privileges.
Wainscoting.Decorative paneling covering the lower three to four feet of an interior wall, usually made of wood in a plain design, or may be painted or varnished.
Xeriscape.A concept to conserve water through creative landscaping and use of native plants. The main principles of xeriscape are:
2. use of drought-tolerant and native or adapted plant materials;
3. grouping of plants with similar water requirements; and
4. an irrigation system designed to meet plant needs.
Zoning District.An area designation for which the regulations governing the area, height, and use of buildings and land are uniform.
Zoning Map.The map or maps, either physical or electronic, incorporated into this Ordinance as a part hereof by reference thereto that identify the different zoning districts established by this Ordinance.
(Ordinance 030-2017 adopted 11/20/17; Ordinance 009-2022 adopted 4/18/22)